When it comes to cannabis, there is a lot of hair-splitting, so to speak, as the population argues over all the tedious, little discrepancies regarding the herb. Some people support legalization only as long as it is strictly available for medical purposes. Others support the mere decriminalization of marijuana, while there is a portion that also supports full legalization, including both medical and recreational marijuana.

There are many generational and social gaps between supporters of marijuana legalization efforts. According to the Pew Research Center survey, 74% of marijuana legalization supporters are millennials. 63% of supports belong to Generation X. Baby Boomers make up another 54% of total cannabis legalization supporters. Although they’ve become significantly more open to the idea within the last year, the so-called Silent Generation makes up 39% of legalization supporters, but either this number is growing or this demographic is decreasing – probably both.

Furthermore, when legalization support is compared between America’s two political parties, 45% of all Republicans are in support for some level of marijuana legalization, according to the Pew Research survey, while 51% opposed legalization. These statistics are still hopeful, however, as they have risen from 39% back in 2015. Meanwhile, members of independent parties, who tend to lean towards the “right,” are far more likely to support marijuana legalization efforts. 59% of right-leaning independents support legalization.

Many outspoken individuals in support of marijuana legalization claim that this money will go towards improving national infrastructure, starting at the state level. In fact, Colorago, one of the first states to become completely legalized, has reported spending over $40 million of their marijuana-derived tax revenue on capital construction projects for various schools, pouring the money into the Marijuana Cash Fund Program. Moreover, legalization in Colorado has created a wide array of jobs, from budtenders, trimmers, growers, agricultural experts, salesman, dispensary clerks, and even entrepreneurs, coming forth with new and innovative cannabis-based or smoking products.

Eventually, as support for various forms of legalization measures increases, marijuana sales are expected to overtake those of cigarettes.

The generous pricing of cannabis, overall weakening of cigarettes and the fact that many people are making a switch from cigarettes to marijuana in legal states are all contributing factors to this decrease in tobacco sales. Considering that marijuana has caused absolutely zero deaths or illnesses since human beings first began smoking it, perhaps it is a good sign that people are starting to take care of themselves, dropping deadly cigarettes in favor of the herb.

Finally, given the success of most states’ legalization efforts, stocks in cannabis are sky-rocketing.As we await the inevitable boom in cannabis stocks as marijuana becomes more legal all across the board, buying and owning stocks in this industry could become more lucrative than buying, trading and owning those of huge corporations, like Amazon. As legalization sweeps North America, Canada has already become legal all across the country, also contributing to the rise in stocks in the cannabis industry and supporting the foreshadowing of an oncoming wave of full legalization in the United States. We can only anticipate what that wave will entail but one thing is for sure: it is definitely coming, and isn’t very far away.